Target03: Encounter
Target03: Encounter is the fourth scenario in killer7. It is divided into two acts, the first set at the ISZK-LAND amusement park in Washington state, and the second at the Blackburn Residence. The scenario deals with issues surrounding the US' involvement in the creation of Heaven Smiles, as well as exploring elements of Dan Smith's past. Plot The scenario opens as a white-suited gunman sits in a limo with a prostitute, enjoying a glass of champagne whilst listening to classical music as he reloads his weapon. Suddenly the man shoots the prostitute in the forehead and gets out, having arrived at the Seattle Immigration Bureau. He makes his way to the top of the building, literally flying down the corridors, and enters the Bureau offices; upon entering he proceeds to instantly kill everyone in the room except a single girl, whose fate is not revealed. As the gunman leaves the building his identity is shown: he is Curtis Blackburn. Part 1 The killer7 is soon afterwards assigned by Christopher Mills to investigate the nearby ISZK-LAND amusement park, which is being used as a front for human trafficking and organ smuggling operations; the organs are then allegedly used in the creation of new Heaven Smiles. As they proceed through the surreal, Heaven Smile-infested park, the assassins learn from Travis that ISZK-LAND is used by Blackburn to transfer orphans with the help of the Immigration Bureau. Travis also explains Dan's ties to Blackburn and the rest of the Seattle Self-Defence Force, who had initially set up the trafficking syndicate. It is revealed that Dan was framed by Pedro Montana, another member of the SSDF and the middleman in the syndicate, who then had Curtis take him out in order to cover his own tracks. Along the way the killer7 gain several new abilities; MASK acquires a new lucha libre mask and becomes significantly more powerful as a result, whilst Dan receives the Demon Gun from the mysterious Archangel. Eventually they arrive at the car park behind ISZK-LAND, where AYAME Blackburn, a girl dressed in an anime schoolgirl outfit and wielding a machine gun, is waiting. After a short battle she boards a nearby bus full of orphans and drives off into the night. Part 2 At a fitness club somewhere near ISZK-LAND Curtis confronts Pedro, having killed everybody in the club in a murderous rampage. After chiding Pedro for betraying him and trying to cut into his share of the orphan trading syndicate, Curtis reveals that by way of revenge he raped and killed his wife before killing his son and daughter as well - the latter of which he decapitated as well. As Pedro cradles the severed head of his daughter Mary, Curtis shoots him in the back of the skull and walks away. Garcian and Mills are seen a short while later outside a villa in the mountains near Seattle - the Blackburn Residence. After closing the boot of a nearby car on its grisly contents (presumed to be the body of one of the orphans, or a set of organs taken from them), the pair are quietly shocked by the injustice Curtis has inflicted on the children. The killer7's progress through the opulent villa is once again met with resistance by numerous Smiles. Along the way they encounter Susie Summer for the last time, as well as confronting AYAME Blackburn for a second battle. Upon killing her she is revealed to have been the girl from the Immigration Bureau seen at the beginning of Part 1. After making their way through the residence and learning from Travis the truth behind the conflict between Curtis and Pedro the killer7 discover a secret chamber hidden beneath the villa's swimming pool. Dan confronts Curtis, who challenges him to a quick-draw shooutout. Dan wins, and, tired of Curtis' attempts to justify his actions and go out peacefully, activates the machine used by Curtis to gut the orphans and remove their organs before hanging their empty bodies up; the machine is instead used on the mortally-wounded Curtis, who suffers a horrific death at the hands of the large, drill-like mechanism before being hung up along with the rest of his victims. As Dan leaves, pausing only briefly to look at the macabre display of young, female orphans dangling from hooks on either side of the room, Curtis' words hang in the air: "Life... wonderful indeed." The maiden save the world with their laughter. Items Gained *Time Ring *Power Ring *Mask Upgrade *Demon Gun *"Rubber Ring" memo *Three Odd Engravings Enemies Introduced *Protector Smile *Broken Smile *Protector Z Smile *Ceramic Smile *Mithril Smile *Protector ZZ Smile *Laser Smile Music The principal theme to ISZK-LAND is entitled 'Electronic Parade', although the OST version only includes several of the theme's variations found played throughout the area. The Killer Ted's Mansion area within the park is titled 'Stoned'. Curtis' assault on the Immigration Bureau at the beginning of the scenario is accompanied by 'Emigrant Song', which can also be heard faintly in the background in certain outside areas at the Blackburn Residence. The parking lot in ISZK-LAND where AYAME is first encountered has 'Sloped' faintly playing in the background. Within the Residence itself the eponymous 'Blackburn' is played, although this is only in the rear building - the version played in the main villa is not included on the soundtrack, although it can be found in the game's audio files entitled 33_CurtiesA_hps. The battles with AYAME Blackburn are set to 'Sweet Blue Flag', whilst the tune that plays during the ending cutscene is entitled 'Taxidermy'. The somewhat minimalist loop that plays during Dan's stand-off against Curtis can be found in the game files labelled 043_hageshi_hps. Category:Levels in killer7